Why You Shouldn’t Pour Cooking Grease or Oil Down Your Kitchen Sink
Most people don’t think twice about pouring hot cooking grease or oil down their kitchen sink drains. Hot grease and oil are fluids, just like water, milk, soda, etc. So, you should be able to pour grease and oils down the kitchen sink like you do those other fluids, right?
Wrong. Pouring cooking grease or oil down a kitchen sink drain can be a big mistake. Once down the drain, the oil and grease begins to cool and solidify. This can cause all kinds of problems, including persistent clogged sinks. And it’s not just your home’s drains that are in danger – entire neighborhood sewer systems have become clogged up with old grease and oil.
How Grease and Oil Can Clog Your Drain and Water Pipes
Here’s why. That liquid grease you pour down the drain doesn’t remain a liquid for very long. As it cools, the grease begins to solidify, turning into clumps. Instead of being washed out, these grease clumps adhere to the inside of the drain. Because the grease is often sticky, food and other particles may become adhered to as well. This creates a snowball – or in this case, a “greaseball” effect. Over time, the layers of grease build up until they begin to impede the flow of water through the drain. Even cooking oils that are liquid at room temperatures, such as olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil, can cause problems when poured down a drain.
Safely Disposing of Greases and Cooking Oils
You may have heard that it’s okay to pour grease and oil down the drain as long as the hot water tap is on, and you add a little dish soap to the mix. This isn’t a good idea. Dish soap only temporarily breaks down the grease. And once the hot water cools off, so does the grease. Using the disposal won’t do anything to break down the grease.
So what are you supposed to do with your used grease and oil if you can’t pour it down the drain? There are many alternatives to disposing of used grease and oils that don’t put your drains at risk.
First, let the grease or oil cool. You can place the grease or oil in the refrigerator to speed up the process. Once the grease cools enough to handle, you can scoop or wipe it out of the cooking pan or dish. Place the now solid grease in a container or bag before placing it in the garbage.
If you have just a little cooking oil leftover, you can pour it into some paper towels and throw it in the garbage. If you have a lot of oil leftover, you may opt to just strain the oil and reuse it.
It’s Not Just Grease and Oil That Can Clog Your Kitchen Sink Drains
In addition to oil and grease, there’s a whole list of things you should avoid putting down your kitchen sink:
- Raw meat
- Bones
- Pasta
- Eggshells
- Seafood shells (crab, lobster, and crawfish parts)
- Potato peels
- Rice
- Onion skins
- Coffee grounds
- Flour
Your First Choice for Getting Rid of Drain Clogs in Oceanside CA
If you’ve just moved into an older home in Oceanside, CA, and are experiencing drainage issues with your kitchen sink, the problem could be that the drains are clogged up with old grease or oil. Give the Oceanside, CA plumbing experts at 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration a call. We’ve been providing expert emergency plumbing services to homes and businesses in Oceanside, CA, and surrounding communities since 2012. Our team of licensed plumbers has the experience and equipment to deal with even the nastiest kitchen sink, toilet, bathtub, or shower drain clogs.
Get rid of the clogged drain problem permanently. Contact 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration through our website or call us at 866-437-0205 to schedule a visit today.
